Harry Potter and the Slytherin Necromancer
by Amor du Sess 05
Summary: Hope. What does it mean to have it? What does it mean to have it as a name? It means little to Hope Reynolds. A sarcastic person by nature, Hope surprisingly enough gets along somewhat with the one and only Harry Potter, if they can control the hormones.
1. Prologue and Ch 1

**Harry Potter and the Slytherin Necromancer**  
  
**- -**  
  
**Disclaimer:**

I don't own the Potter-verse, JKR does. I'm just borrowing her world and characters and I promise to put all of them back in their place. OotP Spoilers in later chapters. This disclaimer will not be repeated in future chapters.  
  
**Prologue:** Transfer File of Hope

** - - **

**Educational School Transferal Profile**  
  
**From**: Phoenix Private School of Witchcraft (girls only)

**To**: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (co-ed) Date: July 18, 1996  
  
**Name**: Hope Esprit Reynolds

**Age**: 16

**Height**: 5' 6"

**Weight**: 138 lbs.

**Hair** **Color**: Pale blonde

**Eye** **Color**: Blue

**Blood** **Type**: O  
  
**Education (thus far)**:

**Age 11 to 15**: Phoenix Private School of Witchcraft (Girls Only)  
  
**OWLs** **Score**: 12/12  
  
**Father**: Ian Orion Reynolds the Sixth, fourteenth generation of Reynolds Wizarding Family  
  
**Mother**: Bethany Jillian Sanders Reynolds, ninth generation of Sanders Wizarding Family  
  
**Personality** **Traits**: Hard working, respectful, clever, resourceful, diligent, attentive, and eager to learn  
  
**Subjects Suggested for Student's Sixth Year**: Advanced Sixth Year Transfiguration, Advanced Sixth Year Potions, Seventh Year Medical Alchemy, Advanced Sixth Year Arithmancy, Advanced Sixth Year Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Advanced Sixth Year Fundamental Charms.  
  
**- - -**  
  
Albus Dumbledore put down the single parchment that was the profile of Hogwarts' newest older student, Hope Reynolds. He sighed, wishing that she did not have to transfer. But she had no choice since her parents are both members of the Order and had to move back into Britain. It was rare for transfer students to even come to Hogwarts because so few would be accepted as an older student. How embarrassing for her to have to be sorted along with first years. But her parents were important members of the Order and now that it was public knowledge that Voldemort is back the Order needed all of its members present.  
  
"Albus, what does her profile look like?" Minerva McGonagall asked nervously, having watched the Headmaster of Hogwarts read over the parchment from Phoenix Private.  
  
"Clean. Very clean. She is suggested to take all advanced classes and a seventh year potions class, the only sixth year in a Seventh Year Medical Alchemy class. And it is so detailed for they even put down her blood type." 'Though this is a little too perfect. Then again, Beth and Ian probably pushed Hope to extremes.' There was amusement in his voice. The professor of Transfiguration relaxed.  
  
"Does she seem nice?" She looked flustered at the way Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.  
  
"The principal, Mrs. Hedonic, put down personality traits as part of the profile. Like I said, this is so detailed. Let's see now, a hard worker. A respectful girl and clever. Resourceful and diligent. Attentive and eager to learn. She sounds interesting to say the least. Of course, these personality traits are from an educator's viewpoint so we really don't know what she is like in person. Think she'll be a Gryffindor, Minerva?" There was a challenge in his eyes.  
  
"Of course. Her parents were Gryffindors when they went to Hogwarts."  
  
"Hmm, we'll see. I say she'll be a Ravenclaw after seeing her 'personality traits' Mrs. Hedonic put down. And considering that she received twelve OWLs."  
  
"I still think she'll be a Gryffindor. Um, by the way, Albus?"  
  
"Yes my dear." He took a sip of his coffee.  
  
"Doesn't hedonic mean lewd or something like that?" And he promptly choked on his coffee, barely swallowing the mouthful.  
  
"Good heavens, Minerva, what are you thinking? Mrs. Hedonic is a respectable person... Merlin's bones, her last name does mean lewd!" Dumbledore started laughing. "Ah Minerva, leave it to you to point out something like that." The sable haired witch flushed.  
  
"Oh really Albus."  
  
**End of Prologue**

* * *

**Chapter One: Moving Away**  
  
"WHAT?" Hope Reynolds slumped down onto the couch, staring incredulously at her parents. "We're moving to Britain? ARE YOU CRAZY?" The American teen was indignant about the idea. She happened to like the United States. Not to mention it was safer over seas in the US than in Britain. "That dark wizard, what's his face, is over there!"  
  
"Voldemort, honey. His name is Voldemort." Her father, Ian Reynolds, had cringed every time he said the Dark Lord's name. "Now listen, Hope. I know this is going to be hard for you."  
  
"HARD? Ha, this is incredibly stupid to be moving right now in the summer before my sixth year at Phoenix Private. This is terrible. Couldn't you have at least waited until I graduated?"  
  
"No, we couldn't. I know that this may seem stupid to you but as members of the Order of the Phoenix, your father and I have to be there." Bethany, Hope's mother, said with a note of finality. "The Order has already lost the godfather of the Boy-Who-Lived."  
  
"Golden Boy Potter had a godfather?" Hope said with doubt in her eyes. Her mother frowned at her daughter's nickname for Harry Potter, the Boy-Who- Lived.  
  
"Yes, he was Sirius Black."  
  
"I thought he was a convict and escapee of Azkaban, a general lunatic, and he was trying to kill Potter!" The blond haired witch blurted out. Both of her light brown eyebrows were raised at her parents.  
  
"He was innocent. Listen, we can't explain everything now, ok? But after we go to Britain in a Muggle plane, we're going to the Headquarters for the Order. Now go pack and no more arguing from you. Mrs. Hedonic has already mailed your transfer file to Hogwarts."  
  
"Alright." Hope sighed out as she got up and trudged up the stairs to her room.  
  
"Is this really such a good idea to move back after we left Britain the first time Voldemort came into existence? The only reason we had to leave the Order was because I was pregnant with Hope. And now we're putting her in grave danger by taking her to Britain. Ian, she's a...."  
  
"I know, Beth. I know what she is. And if Voldemort ever found out, she'll be lost to us." Bethany Reynolds started to rub her hands together, trying to warm them up from her sudden chill.  
  
"Oh Merlin, Ian. Oh dear Merlin."  
  
"The Order needs us now. Hope can take care of herself. Remember that she won the Junior National Dueling Contest. And bear in mind that competition for Best Junior Flyer of the US? Hope won that too. And don't omit the fact that she's taken a lot of advanced courses for the past two years. Also those 'extra' lessons with Mr. Harold Young. She may seem perfect but she isn't though. She has a bad temper like the both of us, God love her. Just don't forget, my love, she's the best of the best for a young witch in training. And she wants to be the first female Potion Master in nearly two centuries. She's an ambitious one."  
  
"Exactly, she's too ambitious. That means only one thing."  
  
"I know that too."  
  
Hope entered her room and looked over at her trophy shelf. She frowned at all of the rewards and whatnot that her aspiration, self-dedication, drive, tenacity, and self-sufficiency had gotten her. Too bad those traits also had pushed away anyone who had tried to befriend her. She had been too competitive even in this aggressive, self-possessed country she had lived in for all of her life. Now she was leaving this country until this thing with Voldemort was over, hopefully. She sighed and closed her door.  
  
In a way, it was her parents that had made her this way. With their zeal for their only daughter to be the best of the best, they had pushed her to her limit until she forced herself to be as ambitious as they wanted her to be. Now her brain was like a sponge and her body a well-toned instrument of athletics. She was in a sense perfect in the academic and athletic worlds. But Hope wanted more. She wanted imperfection, damn it. But in a way, she was indeed imperfect. First off, she was too cold, too dark in the way of emotions. She was cynical about nearly everything. She had a temper that rivaled the Devil himself. And she always was alone. No companionship with her peers or parents what so ever.  
  
Hope, despite her name of love and happiness, was a sad, lonely child whose parents, though loving, were always distant in both a physical sense and emotional identification. They were constantly off on a business trip, especially during the holidays. And Hope was always at school after she entered her first year, save the summer. Even during the summer, both Ian and Bethany Reynolds were on business in another part of the country. And now this Order of the Phoenix was going to keep Hope's parents from her even more.  
  
"This isn't right." She whispered to her owl, Roger. The barn owl hooted gently at her, blinking. Hope rolled her eyes at his typical response and took out her trunk. She quickly discarded all of her clean school uniforms, both the winter ones and spring/early summer ones, into a donation box, knowing that she would never go back to her old school. Taking out last year's books, she put them in another box with the rest of her books from the previous years at Phoenix that way they could be donated to the second hand bookstore in Paragon Alley in New York City. Leave it to her parents to donate anything that can be donated. They were models of virtue, Ian and Bethany Reynolds. Now her trunk was empty as can be.  
  
"Now for the fun part." Hope grumbled as she flung open her wardrobe. Slowly she folded each summer robe and placed them in the trunk. Next came her two dress robes, one blue and one pink. She hated pink though her mother insisted on the pink one for the Valentine Dance her fifth year. Hope shook her head at the memory and closed the now full trunk. She took out another trunk, a bigger one, and opened it. She placed the newspaper that filled the trunk out of it and grabbed a trophy.  
  
"Oh boy, my Junior National Dueling Contest First Place trophy." She carefully wrapped it up in newspaper and placed it in the overly large trunk. She grabbed the next one and examined it. "My Best Junior Flyer of the US First Place trophy." Again it was wrapped up and placed in the trunk. "And oh look see, my National Academic Honors Society Inter-School Charms Competition First Place trophy for third year. Don't forget my so wonderful National Academic Honors Society Inter-School Transfiguration Competition First Place trophy for fourth year. And then there's my National Academic Honors Society Inter-School Potions Competition First Place trophy from last month." Each sentence was said with such sarcasm that even her owl seemed to pick up the animosity that the girl felt for her achievements. Roger hooted nervously as he watched his mistress carefully wrap each trophy and framed certificate. "And last, but not least, my framed perfect OWL results." SLAM! She very angrily closed the lid.  
  
"Who?" Roger said questioningly. Hope wiped her nose with the back of her fist.  
  
"Oh, knock it off Roger. Stop being so worried about me. I'm not crying." She was lying to both herself and her owl. Tears ran down her face. "Yes I am. Every reward, every trophy is worth nothing. My parents just brush them off with a smile and a pat on my head for a good job. Damn it." The curse was whispered as she walked into her bathroom to wash her face.  
  
Hope stood in a corner as her parents came into her room to shrink and pack her furniture. In the bird cage in Hope's hands was Roger. Not a single trace of her tears existed for her parents to see. They just simply smiled at her and packed the rest of her things magically. Hope's wand, which she had gotten at Ollivander's Wands in Diagon Alley since her parents swore by him, was tucked in her black, well loved jeans. She also had on a black T- shirt with the saying: 'There are no stupid questions, just stupid people' on the front. On her feet was a pair of black dragon hide boots that could be mistaken as hiking, ankle boots. These were the Muggle clothes that Hope decided to wear to the airport. Her others were in a suitcase to take with her to not raise suspicions of any kind.  
  
Her parents had frowned at her choice of clothing but knew that to Muggles, Hope looked like a normal Muggle teen. Or a blond haired, blue eyed Goth teen in the Muggles' eyes. But then again, her parents were just as strange. Her mother Bethany was dressed in a black and white checkered, knee length skirt with an orange-yellow, sleeveless, mock turtleneck blouse that clashed with Bethany's golden locks. Her father Ian was dressed in a golf shirt that was decorated in white golf balls with a green background and a pair of faded blue jeans that were ripped slightly at the knees. Both were wearing pure white tennis shoes as well. Hope rolled her eyes at her parents' backs.  
  
'Could their outfits get any stupider?' The young witch thought as she walked down the stairs. She gave Roger's cage, with Roger still in it, to a Wizard Mover worker. The Magical Moving Service with a Knight Bus like vehicle was in her backyard. Thankfully the backyard was warded against any Muggles that would peer or try to get into the backyard. Her parents were going to take down the wards after the Magical Moving Service left to take their things to their new place that was in a Wizarding community, Hogsmeade. Actually it was the barely known about manor that was just beyond Hogsmeade Village. The manor's name was Conjuror Manor. A stupid name if you asked Hope about it. And it was close to Hogwarts too, happy day for her.  
  
'Not that it matters since they'll practically live at the Order's Headquarters. A waste of money.' She stepped out onto the front porch, no longer being able to take the afternoon moving activity. She stood there, looking at the Muggle neighborhood with narrowed eyes. Down two houses were a group of Muggle teens that were bunched on the sidewalk, chattering loudly enough for Hope to hear. Then all of the sudden a Muggle boy from that group actually jogged up to her porch then stopped at the bottom to the steps. Already tall, Hope now towered over the fifteen to sixteen-year- old boy. He had shaggy black hair and light brown-green eyes. He seemed laid back in slightly baggy jeans and a Metallica shirt.  
  
"Hey, I'm Rick. Cool shirt."  
  
"Thanks. I'm Hope. You're shirt's cool too."  
  
"Thanks. You're, like, moving aren't you? I saw that small trailer yesterday. Now it's, like, so totally gone. You're last day here?"  
  
"Yeah, it's extraordinarily boring."  
  
"Must be. How come you were never, like, at the middle school and high school? I've only, like, seen you at elementary school then only sometimes during the summer with, like, a nanny or something and then all, like, by yourself. You were the quiet, like, loner girl that talked to no one at, like, the elementary."  
  
"I went to a private school after I turned eleven. Plus, my parents were always at work. That's why I had a nanny during my elementary years."  
  
"Oh, like bummer. Did you have to wear, like, uniforms?"  
  
"Yes, it really sucked too."  
  
"I bet. Talk about, like, suppressing one's, like, individuality." Hope was amused at the boy's constant usage of the word 'like' every five to six words. So this was the problem with America's Muggle youth, improper English. She desperately wanted to mimic him to poke fun but she didn't. Instead she smiled. "So, you wanna hang with me and the peeps over yonder?" Hope glanced at the expectant group of friendly looking teens and was about to answer when her mother called.  
  
"HOPE! Where are you? You need to take your suitcase to the car!"  
  
"Sorry, Rick. I can't."  
  
"S'alright, Hope. Maybe someday, you'll, like, come visit here or something." Hope's eyes softened.  
  
"Sure thing. Maybe I might even move back here to Wikensville."  
  
"Sounds cool. Later." Rick walked away toward his group of friends probably to explain why Hope couldn't come to their group to hang out. Hope sighed and went back into the house. It figured she would only meet a potential friend, even if a Muggle one, on her last day in the small New York State town of Wikensville that wasn't even on the map yet.  
  
"There you are. Where were you?"  
  
"Porch." And Hope jogged up the stairs to fetch her small suitcase. Carrying it down the stairs, she went back out and to the driveway, opening the rented, black Sedan's trunk. Her parents' two suitcases, one for each of them, was already in there and so she added hers as well.  
  
"Now get in sweetheart." Hope closed it and slipped into the back. Her father, the only one of her two parents who could drive any typical Muggle vehicle, went in at the driver's side as her mother went into the front, passenger's side. "Ready, Beth? Ready, Hope?'  
  
"Yeah." Hope answered.  
  
"Yes, dear. Let's go." Bethany Reynolds clapped excitedly. The car backed out and drove past the part of the sidewalk where the group of Muggle teens was standing. They waved good-bye to Hope and she waved back. "Friends of yours?"  
  
"Maybe."

* * *

Hope pulled her rolling suitcase out of the trunk and watched as her dad gave back the keys to the guy who rented out the car to them. The small family of three walked into the airport, each clutching a ticket in their hand. Together they put their suitcases on the scanning belt and walked through the metal detectors without difficulty. (AN: Remember, this is the Nineties so no extra checking procedures during their time in the airport. Sorry to interrupt and on with the story.)  
  
"What gate?" Hope asked as they passed terminal after terminal.  
  
"Gate D 12. We're passing Gate A 14." Ian said as they hurried along. "Twenty minutes until we board the plane, we have plenty of time." It took them a good fifteen to get to their gate. The luggage probably made it to the plane faster than they did. "Five minutes. Give your ticket to the lady, Hope."  
  
"I know." The sixteen-year-old snapped as she walked through the tunnel that was connected to the plane.  
  
"Teenagers." The ticket lady said as she took Ian Reynolds ticket. She smiled flirtatiously at him.  
  
"Uh huh, yeah." Bethany said as she pushed her husband through and quickly glared at the lady. She marched after Ian, grumbling darkly about the ticket woman. They found Hope already in her seat by the window, the seat by her occupied by her row partner, another blond girl who was twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. Bethany and Ian sat in the row behind their daughter. They could hear the other blond chattering incessantly to Hope while she, Hope, sat in seething silence.  
  
"And like, oh my gawd, he was so hot! I mean, he was a ten on the hot meter. I mean, he was really hot."  
  
'Merlin's bones, this girl is so damn ditzy.' Hope thought, eyes rolling toward the sky for guidance. The girl next to her didn't even see that Hope wasn't even listening to what she was saying. 'Somebody, anybody with mercy shut her up, please. Before I get sent to Azkaban for using the Killing Curse on this stupid, babbling Muggle simpleton.' She squeezed the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache coming along.  
  
"Like oh jeez he's walking to me, and he asked me out and I said yes. And then we, like, went on a date and he, like, kissed me. And it wasn't just, like, a kiss. It was a kiss-kiss. Heheheh. Then he went into my house with me and we, like, so totally made out on my couch." Hope desperately wanted to strangle to other girl with her bare hands as the ditz went into every, exact, sordid detail about the make out session.  
  
"But we, like, didn't 'do it', you know? Like, I'm saving myself for, like, Mr. Right, and stuff."  
  
'For the love of God and any other deity out there, please shut her up!' She held her forehead with her right hand as her right elbow rested on the armrest by the window.  
  
"So, do you, like, have a boyfriend?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh, that's too bad. I can tell you about the hot guys in London. This is my second time going there. There are a lot of hot guys in London. Heheheh. There's this one guy named Ronald Young and he has brown hair and the cutest brown eyes. And, like, oh my gawd, he is really hot. And..."  
  
'No, not another one-sided discussion about a guy! PLEASE SAVE ME FROM THE INSANITY OF THIS DITZ! What did I do to deserve this? Why God, WHY?' Hope was very close to ripping out her hair in a fit of rage. She checked her watch to see that this girl had been talking for non-stop for the past four hours. 'Doesn't she need to sleep or eat or drink by now?' But no, the blond kept on chattering about guys. And so Hope sat in her seat for the remaining hour, praying for control of her temper.  
  
Finally the plane landed and Hope zoomed out her seat before anyone else could even unbuckle his or her seatbelts. She stood right by the gate, hiding from the girl who sat next to her. The girl passed, torturing another poor person with her babbling, and Hope sighed in relief. Her parents came out a little afterwards and she went to their side.  
  
"Have a nice flight?" The two exchanged looks, having heard the entire one- sided conversation.  
  
"If nice being I didn't kill that girl, then yes. But other than that, it was torture."  
  
"That's nice dear. Come on, we have to met Mad-Eye Moody at King's Crossing." Hope sighed, not liking the sound of the person they were going to meet at some strange and anonymous, to her at any rate, train station in London of merry old England. Of course it is known as the UK.  
  
'My life is just getting worse and worse. I hope I don't have to listen to another idiot babble nonstop.'   
  
**End of Chapter One**


	2. Ch 2

**Harry Potter and the Slytherin Necromancer**  
  
**Disclaimer**: See Prologue; by the by, Harry gets some action. (wink, wink, nod, nod) Lucky, lucky boy. Hope becomes a lusty wench. Whoopee, I want to get lusty with Harry Potter.... ::cough:: Waggle is a funny word to say. Repeat after me. Waggle. Hahahaha.... Err, right then. Read on.  
  
**Chapter Two**: Headquarters

Hope Reynolds didn't know whether to gasp in horror or to laugh hysterically in fear. The man that they had met up with at King's Crossing had a face that was out of nightmares. Huge scars littered his face and a big hunk of his nose was nonexistent, as in no more. This was the Mad-Eye Moody her parents had talked about whenever they reminisced about their past in Britain? When they said he was scary looking they seriously understated his appearance. He even had a peg leg. All he needed was an eye patch and he would look like a demented pirate. The bowler that he wore seemed to hide part of his face but didn't help his features at all. Moody looked over at Hope and she resisted the urge to scream.  
  
"My eye doesn't sit well with you, eh?" Hope's left eye twitched as she watched his glass eye swivel about as if by magic. "Don't worry, girly, you're not the only one who was unsettled by my magic eye. Come on then, we have to leave quickly." With that said the old Auror plunged into the crowds. Hope struggled to keep up with her parents and the older wizard. They went out into the street and went over to a cab, except it had an O and a P on the side and it was supposedly off duty. A pink haired woman grabbed Hope's suitcase as well as her parents' and stuffed them into the trunk of the cab.  
  
"Hi, I'm Tonks."  
  
"Hope. Is Tonks your first name?"  
  
"Nope, and don't ask about it either." Hope raised her eyebrow at the sullen tone of the woman.  
  
"Uh, sure." She quickly climbed into the back of the cab. She blinked at the way the seats were arranged in a semi circle. Obviously this was a magic car. She looked up front where the pink haired woman whose last name was Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody sat side by side.  
  
"Now remember to leave the city then to go to Little Whinging, Surrey. We need to pick up Potter." Hope stiffened. They had to share the cab with Potter. She glanced at the guilty faces of her parents. They knew that she hated everything that the teenaged boy represented, easy fame and fortune while she had to work so hard for everything. She glared angrily at her parents and sat as far away as possible from them. "You there, girl." Hope looked up at the face of Moody. "You will go to the door of number four of Privet Drive and knock on the door. Ask for Potter." The harsh look on his face commanded that she obey.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"And if his Muggle relatives give you trouble, you come get me and I'll straighten everything out." The cold and sadistic glee in his voice gave Hope the shivers. Now she understood why Mad-Eye Moody was one of the scariest wizards alive.  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"You're a good girl then, eh Reynolds?" The compliment actually made Hope feel elated. Sure, she had similar compliments from her parents, but somehow this one felt different. It was like he actually cared. Feh, it was probably an act and Hope pushed down the elation.  
  
'I shouldn't be all gaga over some stupid and mundane compliment. What does he think I am, a simpleton?' The cab started and they drove out of London. She looked out of the window the entire time, ignoring her parents' attempts at conversation. Slowly they entered a suburb of some kind and they went onto Privet Drive. The car stopped at the corner.  
  
"Alright, girl. Here's Privet Drive ok? Go to house number four." Hope nodded and exited the cab. She looked at the first house and saw that it was number eight of Privet Drive. It looked like she had a long way to walk. Hope stuffed her hands in her jean pockets, glad that her shirt was not tucked in and it effectively hid her wand from sight. She eyed the perfectly manicured and somewhat dry lawns of the street. It seemed that even in hot, dry weather the people of this neighborhood were anal about their front yards. Only a few people were outside, some watering their lawns in a desperate attempt to bring out a brighter green while others sat on their porches watching the teenagers walk by, including Hope herself. The other teens avoided her by crossing the street and Hope really didn't care. This was probably a suburb where everyone knows every else and their grandmothers, pitiful lot in life.  
  
'Good, number four.' She stopped in horror as she saw a dark haired boy sitting on the steps of the porch of the house. Dried blood was on his lean muscled forearm and his glasses lay broken beside him. "Hey, are you alright?" And as soon as the question was asked Hope felt incredibly stupid. Of course the guy wasn't in superb condition! He had been bleeding and his glasses had been broken! The boy looked up and Hope felt even stupider at the raised eyebrow that boy gave her. A nice, fist shaped bruise was on his right cheek. Then Hope saw it, the lightning scar of the Boy-Who-Lived. OH GOD, this was Harry Potter, the Golden Boy of the Wizarding World, with bruises! Not good at all.  
  
"Err, I'll take your incredulous look and raised eyebrow as a no then." Hope muttered darkly as she jogged up to the boy. Suddenly she felt bad for hating this kid who looked so very abused. She knelt before him and picked up the two pieces that had been Potter's glasses.  
  
"Who are you?" The voice of the teenaged boy had already finished maturing and was a pleasant baritone.  
  
"I'm Hope Reynolds." Harry Potter snorted.  
  
"Hope, huh? I wish I had some." She glanced at the slightly angular face that looked so damn miserable. But the guy's green eyes held a quiet sort of fire in them. Hope smiled sadly at him and pulled out a small roll of tape from her back pocket. How the tape got there, well she always liked being prepared. She slowly and carefully wrapped the thin scotch tape around the bridge of the glasses, conscientious to keep the lenses as straight as possible. Potter watched her tape his glasses with barely focused eyes.  
  
"There, try them now." Hope handed the glasses to him. She was confused on why her heart seemed to change its mind about the Boy Wonder that was Harry Potter. But Hope didn't let her confusion show, using her excellent control and keeping on a mask of detached interest.  
  
"Thanks, I'm Harry Potter."  
  
"I know. I'm with Mad-Eye Moody and some weird chick with pink hair who calls herself Tonks." Harry snickered at the dubious look on Hope's nymph like face, at least the Muggle version of a nymph with golden hair and bright blue eyes.  
  
"You're a witch then?"  
  
"In training, I'm going into my sixth year and was forced to transfer to Hogwarts."  
  
"You're a member of the Order?" Hope snorted and had a dark look on her face.  
  
"Not in this lifetime, or anytime at that. My parents are members and because of what's his face, I have to move here from the US. It really sucks." She stood up and dusted off her jean covered knees.  
  
"Hogwarts isn't so bad." Potter stood up as well.  
  
"Ugh, it's co-ed! Meaning that I have to share the school with guys, no offense."  
  
"Err, none taken, I think." The confused look on his face was adorable to Hope. "So, you're here with Moody and Tonks?" Hope nodded. "I can't get my trunk and owl."  
  
"Why the hell not?" He was taken back at the blaspheme but he shrugged it off. She was an American after all, of course she would use a few minor swear words.  
  
"My aunt, uncle, and cousin went out and locked me out of the house for the day. They went to some convention for drills from my uncle's work."  
  
"Ok... stand back." Hope pushed past a surprised Harry and produced a Muggle credit card. "I hope this works." Harry stepped up behind Hope and looked over her shoulder. She was using the plastic card to break into the house! Harry, not knowing what to do with his hands, put them on her waist. "What are you doing?" Hope hissed darkly.  
  
"Shh, I'm making it look like we're together and that you have a key."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because the neighbors like to spy on the other houses. Is that a wand stuck in the waist band of your jeans?" The teenaged boy asked in a soft whisper. Hope glared over her shoulder, her task momentarily forgotten. Harry just grinned roguishly at her.  
  
"You're pushing it, buddy." She growled. Harry gently and playfully squeezed her slim waist. "Hey, hey."  
  
"Shh, hurry it up. I want my trunk and my owl." Hope grumbled and turned back to her task. She felt Harry scuttle up closer and this time wrapped his arms around her waist. Hope's back was pressed intimately against Harry's lean chest. "Concentrate, Hope." Harry Potter whispered sensually into her ear.  
  
"Bite me." Hope half sang and half whispered.  
  
"Ok, you asked for it." Harry actually nipped Hope's earlobe just as the doorknob twisted and the door opened with ease. A gasp escaped from Hope's lips. She marched straight out of the boy's grasp, breathing erratically. As soon as the door closed she whirled around, an accusing look on her face.  
  
"YOU!"  
  
"Yes, darling?" The amused look on his face made Hope's blood broil in rage. 'I haven't had this much fun in years. I need cheering up after.... No I won't finish that. But I will see this game to the finish.'  
  
"You invaded my personal space."  
  
"It's better that than having the police be called on us for breaking in." With a nonchalant shrug he made his way up the stairs, leaving Hope to sizzle. Hope started to list all the ways she could kill the Boy-Who-Lived, starting with disembowelment.  
  
'Must control fist of death...' Hope's left eye started to twitch. Her right hand was clenched, the knuckles white as can be. 'Count to ten, must be calm. ONE.... TWO... THREE... four... five... six... seven... eight... nine... ten. Calm as the ocean. Calm as a field of flowers. I am in my happy place.' Her eyes were closed and her breathing relaxed and unwavering. She opened her eyes and watched the Boy-Who-Lived walk down the stairs, trunk being dragged behind him and an owl cage in his other hand. The blood that had been on his arm was gone.  
  
"Feel better now?" Damn the twinkle in those vivid green eyes that were behind those charmingly rounded glasses. She just glared at him darkly.  
  
"Go rot."  
  
"I love you too, darling." 'This game is just getting better and better. What a temper this American has.' Hope let out a growl, threw up her hands, and stalked out of the house, Harry Potter's laughter following her. The cab that she had come in was now in front of the house. Mad-Eye Moody was leaning against the side. He stood up at the sight of a fuming Hope.  
  
"Any trouble girl?"  
  
"Other than the fact that Potter is a jerk and that I had to break into the house in order to get his crap, no trouble what so ever." Hope yanked open the passenger door and slid into her previous spot. Her parents glanced at her but said nothing. She felt the car get weighed down a bit as Potter's trunk was put in the car's trunk. She jerked her head away when he entered the cab. He actually had the gall to sit next to her.  
  
"Hello, you must be Hope's parents. I'm Harry Potter." 'Oh this is good.'  
  
"Hello, I'm Bethany and this is my husband Ian." The handsome couple smiled brightly at Harry. "It is so very nice to meet you, Harry."  
  
"The pleasure is mine." 'The look on her face is great. Oh Hope you're going to be so much fun to irritate.' Hope huffed quietly and crossed her arms. Harry glanced at her and grinned. "Your daughter was so helpful to me, isn't that right Hope?"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Hope! I am sorry about her behavior, Harry. She's not too fond of strangers."  
  
"That's alright. I expect to get to know her better soon enough." 'Yep, a whole lot better.' Hope turned her head toward the smirking face of Harry Potter and flushed in anger and embarrassment. She grunted subtly at him and glared. Of course her parents didn't even notice, beaming at how polite Harry was. Hope felt like gagging. She opted to roll her eyes instead.  
  
'I'm so going to see my breakfast again if this mush continues.' "I'm tired. I'll just sleep until we get to the headquarters." She intensified her glare piercingly at Potter.  
  
"Of course. You can lean on my shoulder." Harry wriggled his eyebrows when Hope's parents weren't looking at the two. Hope's glare intensified even more and she defiantly turned away as much as she could with a seatbelt on and curled up, crossing her arms across her chest. She slowly was lulled to sleep as the car drove onward. Hours passed and finally the car stopped.  
  
"Hey, Hope. Wake up." Hope grunted and swatted at the offending hand that insisted on shaking her. We're at the square."  
  
"Square? What square?" Hope snapped at the boy.  
  
"Shh, here, memorize this." She blinked and grabbed the parchment that Harry handed her. An address was on it and she immediately memorized it. The parchment disintegrated quickly. "Memorized it? Good. Come on." 'Now here comes the not so fun part.' Harry dragged the half-asleep Hope out of the car. The suitcases and the trunk were out of the car and the elder Reynolds were standing next to them. They were standing in front of number eleven.  
  
"Where the hell is twelve?"  
  
"Think about the address for a moment." Harry whispered softly into Hope's ear. The address rolled about her mind and then a door between houses eleven and thirteen opened, a house squeezing out from between the two other houses as well. "Come on. You're parents, Moody, and Tonks will get our things." He took Hope's slender wrist and had her follow him toward the door. Hope was now wide-awake and noted Harry's face. She whispered softly to him.  
  
"Hey, you're bruise..."  
  
"Yeah, it's gone. Thanks to your Mum." Hope vented out an incoherent mumble as she let herself be led by Harry into the door. "Stay in here until Moody and the others enter and don't touch anything."  
  
"Yes master." Hope hissed.  
  
"You can call me that later, darling."  
  
"Jerk."  
  
"You know you love me." Hope let out an unladylike grunt and glared at Harry. Quickly her parents, Tonks, and Moody joined them in the small entrance hall of the house.  
  
"Are you sure we weren't followed?" Harry and Hope glanced at each other at Moody's apparent paranoia.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. We're all sure. Chill out Moody." Tonks said, winking at the teens.  
  
"You hear that, darling? You must chill out." Harry whispered to Hope. Again he received a glare. He tried not to snigger, failing miserably. It was nice to have fun, to tease and banter with someone who wouldn't pity him because of what he went through last year in losing his godfather.  
  
"Oh, welcome back Harry." A matronly red head came from the door at the far end of the hall. She was whispering and Hope felt real tired of all the whispers but she kept her mouth shut. Harry gently squeezed her wrist then let go. "Bethany and Ian Reynolds, so wonderful to see you both. And this must be your daughter Hope." Hope eyed the woman and offered a curt nod.  
  
"Ma'am." It was obvious that the woman was not used to such bluntness from a sixteen-year-old.  
  
"You must excuse Hope, she's not exactly the happy-go-lucky type." Hope felt like strangling her mother at the moment but instead opted to frown in disapproval.  
  
"I don't like being an idiot to satisfy others." She said, looking the red head straight in the eye. "Excuse my straightforwardness, it is how I am." Harry pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. He forced a solemn expression on his face. This was his year of mourning after all.  
  
"Oh, umm. I'm Molly Weasley. It's so very nice to meet you dear. You'll be staying here a couple days until all of your belongs are finished being moved into Conjuror's Manor. Come then, the both of you. You're luggage will be taken into the rooms by your parents, dear. It is nice to see you again Harry. How are you feeling, dear?" Hope could feel the tension come off of the Boy-Who-Lived but Mrs. Weasley seemed oblivious to his unease. Harry answered softly.  
  
"I'm fine." 'I don't need your pity. I don't want your pity. I want normality, damn it. You and your pity fest can stuff yourselves silly. I love you like I would an aunt but don't push it.' Harry dare not voice his thoughts and simply followed Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley nodded and they continued in silence. Hope noted the house elf heads and shuddered violently. Then she turned to Harry.  
  
"Fine, Potter? As in freaked-out, intense, neurotic, and emotional?" Hope said into Harry's ear.  
  
"Shut up." Harry hissed.  
  
"You know you love me." This earned Hope a glare and she stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"I suggest, darling, that you put your tongue to good use or to put it back in." Harry once again hissed his response. Hope just smirked.  
  
"Ok, honeycakes."  
  
"I'll get you for that, doll face."  
  
"Watch it, home boy."  
  
"Sure thing, sweetie pie."  
  
"Stuff it, buddy."  
  
"Only if you do it for me, sweet cheeks."  
  
"You jerk."  
  
"You precious dear heart." Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat and Hope finally noticed that they had stopped. Hope huffed and glared at Harry.  
  
"Your banter is amusing but the two of you must meet the other children. They're in the room." Mrs. Weasley left them and the two teens looked at each other.  
  
"Children? What, as in five year olds?" Harry snorted in amusement.  
  
"Nah. As in immature teenagers." He answered and opened the door. Then he fixed his face into an emotionless mask of indifference. Hope noted the change and stored the knowledge for later.  
  
"HARRY! Look Ron, Ginny, Fred, George. Harry's here!" A girl with bushy brown hair launched herself in front of Harry. "Oh Harry, it's so good to see you. Are you ok? Sorry about how vague our letters are. Don't get angry." The teenaged boy just regarded the girl with grim and unforgiving green eyes.  
  
"Nothing to forgive, Hermione." His voice was low and his darkened eyes belied his words. But his friends took his words at face value. Hope shot a skeptical look at him, which went unnoticed by the others save Harry himself. Harry glanced at Hope with serious eyes that said not to ask about it just yet. She complied.  
  
"I'm Hermione Granger. You are?" The brunette asked Hope quite rudely, though the rudeness was probably unintentional on the frizzy haired girl's part. She was looking at Hope's shirt with sharp disapproval. The way she tipped her nose up with an imperial air made Hope wanted to knock this short, wiry haired, pompous girl out. (AN: so sorry Hermione fans. I wanted Hope's opinion about Hermione out in the open because these two will have a lot, and I mean a lot, of conflicts. I usually am a Hermione fan.)  
  
"Hope Esprit Reynolds." The way the other girl's eyes widened in recognition made Hope wanted to laugh derisively at the five foot one brunette.  
  
"As is Junior Academic Champion of the United States? I've read all about you in Magical Prodigy Academic World magazine and in Scholastic Witches of the World. You're the top junior genius of the Wizarding world. Oh Merlin, you're here, you are actually here in London!" Throughout the girl's fevered speech, nearly everyone was rolling their eyes, even Hope herself. She hated publicity like the plague of stupidity that threatened to take over the world. Harry was looking at Hope with astonished yet amused green eyes. She, in turn, gave him a death glare of great magnitude that told him to not say a word.  
  
"Yes, yes. Will you please shut up?" Hermione's surprised and gaping face made Hope twitch slightly in irritation. "Close your mouth, it's very unpolished to gape like a fish." That made the brunette's jaw snap up with an audible clink.  
  
"That's very rude of you!"  
  
"It's obvious that you didn't read all of the articles. Especially in the tabloids about my personality." Hope gave Hermione a feline like sneer of mockery. "Potter, take me to the kitchen if you will. My parents are most likely there with most of the Order." She lifted her own pert nose in a superior manner and marched off down from whence she came with Harry. Harry shrugged at his 'friends', so to speak, and jogged away to catch up. Hermione, along with the red heads (the Weasleys), stood in the doorway.  
  
"Blimey, what a spitfire." George said with a grin.  
  
"Do you think she'll marry me?" Fred said as he wriggled his eyebrows. Ginny was quiet though there was a small hint of laughter in her brown eyes, which she quickly hid.  
  
"She's a boorish person!" Declared Hermione with an offended and embarrassed squawk. She added a sniff for effect that secretly earned her an eye rolling from Ron.  
  
"Telling by her behavior, she'll probably be a Slytherin." Noted Ron, unperturbed as he went back into the room. Hermione made sounds of an affronted nature.  
  
"I like her." Whispered Ginny under her breath. No one heard her and she grinned. She somehow knew that Hope Reynolds was not a person to pity anyone. 'Good, Harry needs some fun. She'll be perfect to lift him from his low spirits. He needs strength and she's obviously a strong person.'  
  
"Ginny! Our game?"  
  
"Yes, yes. I'm coming." 'Give Harry some confidence, Hope Reynolds. He's going to need it.' Too bad Ginny Weasley didn't know that Hope Reynolds needed just as much real strength and real confidence as Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived.

* * *

"Hope, calm down." Hope stopped in the hallway, at the top of the stairs. "Hope, what's wrong?"  
  
"I just insulted your friend." She turned toward him. Her chin was lifted in defiance. "Are you going to do something about it?" There was a challenge in her sapphire blue eyes. Harry sighed and went right up to Hope, their faces just inches away from one another.  
  
"Absolutely, my dear." His right hand came up and cupped her cheek. "What would you like me to do?" There was an unscrupulous glint in his emerald green eyes. "Though maybe I should do this...."  
  
Harry Potter's firm lips crashed down on Hope's lips. Her eyes widened in shock and she struggled slightly. Harry kept the kiss chaste and coaxing and Hope slowly relaxed. She put her hands on his chest and slowly eased them up to his shoulders. The ivory blond woman-child softened against Harry. She curled her arms around his neck. Harry groaned in the back of his throat and put his other arm around Hope's waist. He opened his lips and darted his tongue along the crease between her lips.  
  
Hope opened her own mouth without hesitation. Heat curled low in her belly as their tongues slowly and tentatively touched. Harry's right hand, previously cupping her cheek, aggressively went to her nape and he deepened the kiss. She tilted her head more, giving the Boy-Who-Lived better access to her mouth. Their tongues fought now for control. Harry was very intent on winning however. Slowly he turned Hope's back away from the stairs and against a wall in the corridor.  
  
Harry's right hand went from her nape down the pale column that was her throat, settling for a moment on Hope's racing pulse. He continued down, brushing slightly against the outer edge of her firm breast and she arched into Harry's touch. Harry continued downward once more and his right arm finally wrapped itself around her waist. Hope's body was pliant and pressed tightly against Harry's.  
  
Their lips separated and he trailed slow butterfly kisses along Hope's jaw and her neck. Hope tilted her head to the side, tangling her long fingers in Harry's messy, coarse hair. Harry pressed his lips upon her pulse and flicked out his tongue. That earned him a moan and he did it once more. Then he moved down more to the point where her neck and shoulder connected. He sucked softly and his hands slowly moved down to cup Hope's behind. Harry kissed her on the lips again, demanding entrance this time instead of asking. Hope gladly gave him admittance, eager for more of this pleasure. They separated their lips once more after a time, both panting.  
  
"Wow." Hope whispered reverently. Her blue eyes were wide and blazing. "My first real kiss...."  
  
"Hmm. I've had a kiss, not like that though. I needed to truly taste you." Harry's own eyes were hooded, fiery with hunger for more. "A most interesting experience. I do believe I have to repeat it." He slanted his mouth and claimed Hope's lips for a third time. They came up for air and Hope swallowed, trying not to press too wantonly against Harry. He leaned down slightly, lifting up Hope's jean clad thighs. He nestled into the juncture between her legs. Hope clenched her thighs around Harry's narrow hips, clung to his shoulders, and arched against him.  
  
"God have mercy." Harry moaned and he fervently kissed Hope. This, this incredible need for Hope was overwhelming. When he had kissed her the first time it was only meant to rile her. He didn't expect it to go so very far. Now he was addicted to her. They parted and touched foreheads.  
  
"We shouldn't be doing this." Hope said breathlessly. They kissed a little more then paused again.  
  
"I know. But I need more." Another deep kiss this time. Harry ground his hips against Hope's. Hope, in turn, pulled him even closer. Her bosom was now crushed flat against Harry's chest. Harry broke the kiss. "Gods, woman." He gently lowered Hope down, though they still were closer than what proper conduct would ever allow. Harry brushed his lips against Hope's bruised ones. Someone cleared their throat from behind Harry and he jumped in alarm. He turned his head, aware of Hope's appalled face at being caught.  
  
"Who's your very lovely friend Harry Potter?" Remus Lupin asked. Thankfully no one else was with the werewolf. Harry flushed and frowned at the same time, glaring darkly.  
  
"MOONY!" Lupin waggled his eyebrows and winked at Hope.  
  
"Mind sharing her?" Harry stuttered inarticulately as Hope flushed brighter at the handsome older wizard. "I'm kidding Harry. Who is she?" She finger combed her shoulder length hair and smiled nervously.  
  
"I'm Hope. Hope Reynolds."  
  
"Hey, I know your parents. I went to school with them. They were two years ahead of me. I don't think, however, that they would like the fact that their dearest, prized daughter was snogging Harry here." Both teens blushed vividly at his grinning face. Harry moved to the side and from in front of Hope. "No worries though. I wouldn't have been able to resist kissing her either, especially now." Lupin stepped up and seemed to tower over Hope. "Nope," He whispered, Harry barely able to hear him. "No resistance." He captured Hope's lips briefly then dashed off, laughing. Harry, quite indignant, ran after the usually well-behaved werewolf. The pale blond just stood there, lips thoroughly kissed and face flushed becomingly.  
  
"Today has been way too much for me." She groused darkly. Hope went down the stairs as well, hoping that no one would notice her swollen lips. "I just got kissed by the Boy-Who-Lived. Holy hell."  
  
**End of Chapter Two**


End file.
